Happy Crossmass

This article on Slate is an interesting take on Easter. The author's correct in noting that Easter hasn't been a commercial success on par with Christmas, but in terms of what the holiday is actually celebrated for, fewer folks, I think, even understand why Christians celebrate Easter. They just think it's about bunnies and Easter baskets and chocolate and welcoming Spring.

One thing the Slate article touches upon, which also was a central point to the Easter sermon I heard today, was that there's no half-assedness to Easter. Sure, you can celebrate the birth of Jesus regardless of whether you believe he was the Son of God or just a really great guy who said and did a lot of great, loving things, because it's a nice story. But you can't say, sure, I sorta believe that Jesus may or may not have been crucified and then was physically resurrected. If you say you believe it, then there are some serious implications for that on your life.

One thing, though, that I think a lot of people overlook when it comes to the Jesus story is the weight the resurrection should be given. Most people tend to focus on the crucifixion because it focuses on the pain He experienced when he died for all of mankind's sins. But, really, without the resurrection, the crucifixion could also just be a story. The crucifixion is the price that was paid by a man who claimed to be the Son of God; the resurrection is proof that the Man is who He said He was - and that his death did indeed mean Grace personified.

Happy Crossmass everyone.